12/01/2010

Nutella Pinwheel Cookies

Well, it is December 1st and that means the holiday baking season has offically begun. And after making the pumpkin roll, I was inspired to share this swirling recipe with you.

I love Nutella. And for those of you who do not know what Nutella is (I say that because I have introduced many women and children to this delectable spread), it is a hazelnut spread that is made with skim milk and cocoa powder. We enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dessert. Spread it on bread, eat it with fruit, warm it and drizzle it over ice cream, or sandwich it between two Pepperidge Farm Bordeaux cookies for a particularly nice treat.

A couple of years ago I came across this site, World Nutella Day. It was started in 2007 by Sara Rosso, an American blogger living in Italy. She felt the world needed a day to celebrate our love for Nutella. Bless her soul:)

So, World Nutella Day 2009 rolled around and I saw a recipe for Nutella Pinwheel Cookies. A simple butter cookie dough slathered with Nutella, rolled into a log, sliced and baked. Yum! These cookies are some kind of good. I even had a neighbor who doesn't care for sweets (what?!?) thoroughly enjoy them.

Back to the holiday baking...these are perfect because you can make the dough in advance and store it in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. And once baked they will keep for up to a week in an airtight container, but I doubt they will last that long. So make a batch and share them with your family, friends, neighbors, and teachers. They will love you for it!

*Update-- A reader contacted me and told me that she used Cocoa Bliss in lieu of the Nutella for her nut allergy friends. Good to know so all can enjoy!

In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and sugar, about 2-3 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until combined. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture. Mix until it forms a soft dough. Transfer the dough on to a lightly floured surface. Shape in to square and divide it in half. Transfer each half to a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Unwrap one half of the dough and place on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper. Cover with a sheet plastic wrap and roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness, about 10"x8" rectangle.

Remove the plastic wrap. Using an off-set spatula, spread half (1/4 cup) Nutella on to the dough leaving a 1/4-inch edge all around. Using the parchment as a guide, roll the dough starting from the longest side, in to a tight log. Wrap the parchment around the log and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or freeze for 15 minutes. Repeat with the remaining half.

Preheat the oven to 350º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unwrap the log and slice into approximately 1/3-inch slices. Place the slices on the prepared baking sheet 1-2" apart (I can fit 15 cookies on a 12x15-inch baking sheet). Bake for 12-15 minutes or until just golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Remove the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container for 1 week. Enjoy!

* An unbaked cookie log can be made ahead of time, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in a freezer bag for 2 weeks. Increase baking time by 3-5 minutes if slicing and baking frozen dough.

Since the logs have been refrigerated or frozen, I use my favorite knife...Wüsthof Grand Prix Santoku, but any sharp knife will work.ww.williams-sonoma.com/products/wusthof-grand-prix-ii-hollow-ground-santoku-knife/?pkey=e|grand%2Bprix|13|best|0|1|24||8

What a stunning holiday recipe! Would you like to submit it to my contest to win a cookbook? Just wanting to share the holiday cheer (and exposure to your blog) Would love for you to win :) http://ow.ly/3j61M

I made these cookies for a cookie exchange. I'd never made a roll cookie before, but I couldn't be happier with the way they turned out. They looked just like the pictures. I made a double batch and put one log in the freezer for Christmas. I will definitely make them again!

I made these last week. Nutella is one of my daughter's food groups, so we obviously had to give them a try. We all loved them. I loved that the cookie wasn't overly sweet. In fact I upped the salt to 1/2 a tsp b/c I love the salty/sweet thing. They were absolutely delish & gorgeous to look at!

These cookies are awesome...... I made a batch yesterday ,they look awesome & they taste super delicious. I tried an eggless version by skipping the eggs & adding 1/4th tsp of baking soda instead. Thanks for the recipe ......

I made these tonight with homemade nutella I had made prior, for a dinner with my mother in law, they were a real hit! They took some fussing (when rolling) but turned out just like in the picture! Thank you, it was well worth the effort!